Sunken swimming pool



March 26, 1968 P. PATIN ET AL SUNKEN SWIMMING POOL 4 Sheets-Sheet l Filed June 30. 1965 www March 26, 1968 P. PATIN ET AL 3,374,491

SUNKEN SWIMMING POOL Filed June 30, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 im' mn alu-w-u-lml4 March 26, 1968 RPATIN ET AL 3,374,491

SUNKEN SWIMMING POOL Filed June 30, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 March 26, 1968 P.PAT1N ET A1. 3,374,491

suNKEN SWIMMING PooL Filed .June so, 1965 4 sheets-sheet 4 l l l United States Patent Office 3,374,491 Patented Mar. 26, 1968 3,374,491 SUNKEN SWIRIMING POOL Pierre Patin and Ren Chautru, Paris, France, assignors to Thermacier, Paris, France, a French corporation Filed June 30, 1965, Ser. No. 468,236 Claims priority, application France, July 3, 1964, 980,598 9 Claims. (Cl. 4-172) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Sunken swimming pool comprising lining means which define the water-receiving basin and include side walls having a plurality of substantially horizontally extending steps in superimposed relation to each other substantially throughout the vertical extent of the side walls, the steps having a mean slope which is downwardly inclined inwardly of the pool.

In sunken swimming pools of known type, the walls are vertical and must be capable of resisting the thrust of the earth when the pool is empty. This condition entails the use of a large amount of material and a cost price which administrations in charge of social and educational equipment often consider prohibitive.

In particular, when the lining of the pool is of metal it is necessary to provide a rigid framework on which the metal sheets defining the walls of the linin-g are assembled.

The object of the present invention is to remedy this drawback. The invention provides a sunken swimming pool comprising a lining, the side walls of which, instead of being vertical, have a stepped shape, the mean slope of which is inwardly and downwardly inclined, said stepped walls @being backed up by a mass of aggregates o1' powdery material, for example sand.

Owing to this arrangement the thrust of the aggregates or powdery material is exerted only on the portion of the vertical face of each step between the foot thereof and the intersection with this face of the plane intersecting the lower edge of the step located immediately above and making with the horizontal an angle equal to the angle of internal friction of the powdery material. -In adopting for this angle the mean value of it is possible, in providing five steps in respect of a total depth of 2 metres, to arrange that the thrust of the earth be exerted on only half the vertical extent of the stepped wall. The latter is normally anchored at its top and bottom ends and calculation shows that, bearing in mind that the thrust is proportional to the square of the height, the resulting forces are very small compared with those in conventional constructions.

They are sufficiently low to make it possible to eliminate the aforementioned metal framework, necessary in conventional swimming pools to ensure stability of the lateral walls.

The foregoing, of course, applies only in the case where the level of the underground water is located below the level of the bottom of the pool. If this was not so it would be necessary to provide a lowering of the level.

When the pool is full of water, the vertical and horizontal faces of the steps are subjected to hydrostatic pressure. The buttressing effect of the earth, which is equal to about times the thrust, ensures the stability of the vertical faces whereas the load on the horizontal faces is absorbed by friction of the powdery material on the vertical faces.

To construct a sunken swimming pool according to the invention the following procedure is adopted.

An excavation is first made which is oversize relative to the volume which the basin of the pool must occupy, the floor is formed, at least the bottom step of at least Y one of the side walls is constructed from the bottom by connecting it to the floor of the pool, the bottom step, and if desired the following steps, are shored from the interior of the basin, the space formed by the oversize between the already constructed steps and the slope of the excavation is filled with a powdery material, the mass of powdery material thus formed is compacted, the other steps of the lateral walls are constructed one after the other by alternating the mounting of the faces of the steps with the filling of the oversize combined with the shoring of the steps from the inside, and finally the vertical face of the top step is anchored, for example 'by means of a reinforced concrete paving.

The floor and the walls of the lining are preferably constructed by the assembly of elements of, for example, metal, plastics material, or reinforced plastics material, by a method which, according to the invention, comprises assembling in end-to-end relation or at right angles plates or anges of profiled sections by the use of joint covers and rivets (known under trade name of Rivelon having a ring mounted by a plastic `deformation when cold), with interposition of a sealing material.

If it is considered necessary that the walls of the basin be vertical, it is possible to dispose perforated vertical partitions in vertical alignment with the vertical face of the bottom step for example, and t0 cover by means of a flooring the space between the vertical face of the top step and the top of the perforated partitions.

Further features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the ensuing description with reference to the accompanying drawings to which the invention is in no way limited.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a side wall of a rectangular pool according to t-he invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial plan view of the pool;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of one corner of the pool;

FIGS. 4-6 are detail views showing the assembly of plates or profiled sections constituting the walls or the floor of the pool lining;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 1 of a variant of the embodiment of the wall of the lining;

FIGS. 8 and 9 are diagrammatic sectional and plan views respectively of a lining of a pool of varying depth;

FIG. l0 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a portion of a variant of the pool according to the invention, and

FIGS. ll-15 are views of accessories employed in combination with the pool shown in FIG. 10.

rIhe pool according to the invention comprises a rectangular basin or lining embedded in an excavation formed in the natural ground with interposition of a mass of sand 2. This lining is obtained by the assembly of skin-forming elements the thickness of which is as a rule constant, these elements being composed of a moulded material or sheet metal. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-6, the material employed is preferably polyester reinforced for example with glass fibres.

The bottom or tioor `3 of the lining is plane and the side walls 4 and `6 have a stepped profile which affords the advantage (see line 7 corresponding to the slope of equilibrium of the sand 2) of exposing only about half the height of the walls to the thrust of this sand.

The bottom 3 is constituted by the end-to-end assembly of rectangular plates A the joints a of which constitute a regular square pattern.

With regard to the walls, they are constituted mainly by the assembly of profiled sections B which have a crosssectional shape in the form of a zig-zag line defining a complete step S and on each side of the latter two half steps 9 and 11 respectively representing a part of the upper and lower adjacent steps so that by connecting by 3 means of a joint b the upper half step 9 of a section B to the' lower half step 11 of a second section B superimposed on and offset relative to the' lirst section B there is obtained the main part of a lining wall (FIG. 1).

When viewed in plan, the section B denes two step tops 12, 13, the longitudinal adjacent ends of which are offset with respect to each other and adapted to be assembled by joints c to the complementary ends of the steps tops formed on another section B disposed in the extension of the aforementioned section. Further, the arrangement of the two superimposed sections B to constitute the transverse section shown in FIG. 1 is such that the bottom step top 13 of the highest section B has its longitudinal ends also offset relative to those of the subjacent section B so that in plane the joints c have a shape inthe form of a'regular zig-zag line. Vertical joints d and horizontal joints e are also provided for connecting the adjoining ends of sections B disposed in end-to-end relation (FIG. 2).

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the relative offset of the step tops extends upwardly of the water-receiving cavity or basin toward one of the corners of the pool as concerns both the end wall 6, half of which is shown on the left of the drawing, and the side wall 4 (which is the only one shown). Fitted in the corresponding corner is a moulded corner element C which forms steps, has a height which corresponds to that of two superimposed sections B and is connected to the adjacent sections B by suitable joints f, g, h, i. In the opposite corner of the pool an identical corner element C is provided, but in order to change the direction of offset of the step tops of the adjacent sections B of the side wall 4, a moulded compensating element F has been inserted between these sections B and the corner element C.

The assembly of the lining is completed, on one hand, throughout the periphery of the bottom, by angle irons or L-shaped members D which are connected by joints k, l, m respectively to the bottom plates A, to the bottom half steps 11 of adjacent sections B and to the lower part of the corner elements C and, on the other hand, at the top of the walls, by L-section members E which are assembled by joints p, q respectively to the top half steps 9 of the top sections B and to the top part of the corner elements C, these L-section members being anchored or sealed in a reinforced concrete paving 1i6 which rests on the mass of sand 2 interposed between the excavation and the corresponding wall of the lining.

The construction of typical assembly joints for the various elements of the lining is shown in FIGS. 4-6.

FIG. 4 shows the assembly of two floor plates A by means of a joint cover 18 and rivets 19 of the aforementioned rivelon ytype inserted in aligned apertures 21 and 22 in the two plates to be assembled and in the joint cover. The heads of the rivets are of the countersunk type and are retained in corresponding countersinkings ofv the apertures 21. The plates are clamped together by the insertion of a ring 23 in the grooves of the rivets. In order to seal the joint a layer 24 of a sealing material, as the product known under the trade name Thioex (rubber having a polysulfide base) is interposed between the plates A and the joint cover 18. As an additional precaution, the rivets could be immersed before being placed in position in a sealing liquid which can also be of Thioex, and the surface of the plates remote from the joint cover could'also be covered with a strip of butyl rubber 26 secured by means of an adhesive or a paint, as the product known under the trade name of Hypalon. Sealed assemblies of the type just described are normally employed for the construction of the joints such as c, g, h, k (FIGS. 2 and 3).

The assembly shown in FIG. differs from that shown in FIG. 4 only in respect of the substitution for the plates A of the flanges of sections B or L-section members D, E. It concerns the construction of the joints b, l, p.

In the assembly shown in FIG. 6, two elementsat right angles are united also in a sealed manner with the use of an L-section joint cover 28. Such anassernbly is employed for example in the construction of the joints e andf (FIGS. 2 and 3).

It will be observed in FIG. 1 that the top L-section member E is anchored in the concrete paving 16 by means of blocks 31 which are stuck or welded at -l'equired intervals on the outer face of the joint cover 18 pertaining to the horizontal join-t p. The reinforcements 32 of the paving 16 are fixed for example by a screw thread in these blocks 31.

Further, a ooring 70 covers the space between the edge of the paving 16 and the top part of a vertical partition 71, perforated at 72, which extends from the bottom half step 1 to the level of the paving 16. The'assernbly of the flooring 70 with the vertical partition 71 and the assembly of the latter with the half step 11 are achieved for example by means of angle irons or L-section members 73 or 74 secured'by rivets or bolts 76 or 77.

The embodiment shown in lFIG. 7 of a stepped wall is more particularly adapted for the utilization of sheet metal elements since, instead of the multiple corner or edge sections B, solely L-section members G are employed which are assembled in accordance with the typical joint shown in FIG. 5. To construct the corners of the lining it is also well to Iprovide folded, stamped, bent, or other elements, Lthe shape of which is easy to obtain from sheet metal. It will be clear that a paint or other protective Icoating could be applied to the metal elements before or during the assembly. Regardless of the nature of the material of the component elements of the lining, the successive stages of construction of the pool are normally the following:

(a) Construction of the excavation or pit 1 having an oversize as concerns length, width and height.

(b) Assembly of the hoor 3 on a site outside the excavation including the construction of the' joints k assembling the base L-section member D.

(c) Laying and evening of a layer of sand in the bottom of the excavation.

(d) Lowering of the oor onto the layer of sand by means of s-uitable handling means.

(e) Positioning and assembly with the L-section member D of the :base sections B (FIG. 1) or one or several L-sec'tion members G (FIG. 7), and, if desired, assembly of these L-section members.

l(f) Shoring from the bottom of the lining of the assembled sections and L-section members.

(g) Laying of sand in the oversize between the bank of the excavation 1 and the assembled and shored elements, then the compacting of this sand, for example by means of conventional vibrators.

(h) Repetition of the aforementioned stages e, f, g until the walls and mass of sand 2 have been constructed.

(i) Construction of the metal part of the paving 16 and connection of the reinforcements 32 to the top step ofthe walls, then pouring of the concrete. f

This procedure has been given merely by way of example and it will be understood that one skilled in the art would be capable of adapting it to the special conditions of the construction site.

The previously given examples in principle apply to the case where the lining has a constant depth, that is, when the oor is entirely horizontal. The arrangement comprising a basin of great depth 35 of use as a large bath connected to an inclined bottom 36 forming a. small bath is also possible as suggested in FIGS. 8 and 9.

FIG. l0 is a diagrammatic view of a pool whose peripheral paving lof concrete 40 has a raised part 41 forming a platform or quay which is located above a wave breaker 42. With this arrangement it is possible to equip the pool with the accessories shown in FIGS. l1-l5.

FIGS. 1l and 12 show a competition starting block or pedestal which can be removed during the normal bathing period. This block 43 is formed by a hollow case the upper part 44 of which slopes toward the basin and permits a departure for normal swimming. The block is xed to the quay 41 by means of embedded nuts 46 xed in the quay and in which are screwed bolts 47 extending through a `part 48 of the case which has an L-section and fits against the raised portion formed by the rear of the quay 41 and the top of the paving. Set into the vertical face adjacent the ybasin is a bar 49 which can be gripped by the swimmers for the start of back stroke swimming.

In FIG. 13 a mast 51 is fixed to the quay 41 by a sleeve 52 welded to a base plate 53. The latter bears on the quay and is attached thereto by means of a U-section portion S4 adjacent the basin and bolts 56 screwed in nuts 57 embedded in the vertical part of the quay adjacent the beach. The ibase plate can also be triangular and lixed to the quay by suckers. The mast can be employed for a water-polo match or for mounting a competition ag.

The hooking of a water line 55 can be eifected on thc edge of the wave breaker 42 by a stirrup 58 which constitutes a clamp and bears on the vertical part of the trough adjacent the basin and on the vertical wall of the basin. These bearing points are constituted by rubber pads S9 and the clamping is obtained by means of a sleeve 61 and `a screw-threaded rod 62 supporting the pad adjacent the basin.

FIG. 14 shows the attachment of a tting 64 for holding a training Ibar to the front face of the wave breaker 42 by means of a sucker 63.

FIG. 15 shows a water-polo goal 66 fixed at a distance from the quay 41. The lower part thereof bears against the upper edge of the wave breaker 42 through the medium of -bars 67 and the head part is held by members 68 secured to the rear of the quay.

Although specific embodiments of the invention have been described, many modifications and changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having now described our invention what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a sunken swimming pool located in an excavation in the ground, a structure comprising: lining means defining a water-receiving cavity of the pool and including side walls having a plurality of substantially horizontally extending steps in superimposed relation to each other substantially throughout the vertical extent of said side walls, each step having a substantially horizontal portion `and a substantially vertical portion, said plurality of steps having a mean slope which is downwardly .inclined inwardly of said pool, a space lbetween said side walls and said excavation and a mass of material consisting of aggregates held together lby friction between the aggregates disposed in said space and adjoining and backing up the substantially vertical portions of said steps.

2. In a sunken swimming pool located in an excavation in the ground, a structure comprising: lining means delining a water-receiving cavity of the pool and including side walls having a plurality of substantially horizontally extending steps in superimposed relation to each other substantially Ithroughout the vertical extent of said side walls, each step having a substantially horizontal portion and a substantially vertical portion, said plurality of steps having a mean slope which is downwardly inclined inwardly of said pool, a space between said side Walls, and

said excavation and a mass of material consisting of sand held together by friction between the sand disposed in said space and adjoining and backing up the substantially vertical portions of said steps.

3. Structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the side walls consist of sheet elements and joint means interconnecting said sheet elements.

4. Structure as claimed lin claim 3, wherein the pool has a oor which is of a sheet of material and connected to said side walls a layer of said mass of said aggregates being interposed between said sheet of material and said excavation.

5. Structure as claimed in claim 3, wherein each of said elements comprises a step and a porti-on of the vertical portion of the steps immediately above and below said step and is assembled with the adjacent elements by a sealed joint comprising an auxiliary element in lapped relation to adjacent portions of the vertical portions of the adjacent step elements and constituting a joint cover, rivets engaged in aligned apertures in said elements and in said joint cover, and a sealing material interposed between the elements and the joint cover.

6. Structure as claimed in claim 5, wherein said rivets are known under the trade name Rivelon and are consequently of the type having a ring mounted thereon by plastic deformation when cold.

7. Structure as claimed in claim 1 further comprising anchoring means for anchoring the top and bottom of said side Walls, said steps of each side wall having a mean slope of substantially 50.

8. Structure as claimed in claim 7, comprising a reinforced concrete paving bearing at least partly on said mass of aggregates and anchored to the top of said side walls.

9. -In a sunken swimming pool located in an excavation in the ground, a structure comprising: lining means deiining a water-receiving cav-ity of the pool and including side walls having a plurality of substantially horizontally exten-ding steps in superimposed relation to each other substantially throughout the vertical extent of said side walls, each step having a substantially horizontal portion and a substantially vertical portion, said plurality of steps having a mean slope is downwardly inclined inwardly -of said pool, a space between said side walls and said excavation, a mass of material consisting of sand held together by friction between the sand disposed in said space and adjoining and back-ing up the substantially vertical portions of said steps and a substantially vertical perforated partition wall in vertical alignment with a step of one of said side walls, and a flooring spanning the space between the top of the partition wall and the top step of said one of said side walls.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,367,657 l/ 1945 Boersma 287--36 2,936,504 5/19-60 Harris 52-169 3,011,178 12/1961 Stone 4-172 3,022,870 =2/ 1962 John et al 287-360 3,031,801 5/1962 Leuthesser 52-742 3,052,331 9/1962 Bothwell 287--360 3,064,273 11/f1962 Kwak@ 4 172 3,086,220 4/19'63 Zars 4-172 3,124,905 3/-1964 Stier 4-172 3,236,012 '2/1-965 iL-aven 4-4172 LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner.

K. ARTIS, Assistant Examiner. 

